A trip down Mario Kart memory lane

We are no strangers to Mario Kart, having careened around the Mushroom Kingdom in Double Dash on the GameCube and with Mario Kart DS having become almost a staple food in our diet.

Double Dash was in all honesty the game that introduced me to the wonderful world that is console gaming. While the game did not feature any online functionality, the real charm lay in the fact that four players could enjoy simultaneous racing. While one player controlled the racing aspect, the second player seated behind the driver held an equally important role in launching red shells and bombs at other teams and making sure they slipped up on banana peels. Obviously this meant the driver also had to develop seriously quick evasive skills to avoid the aforementioned shells and bombs.

Now although my driving skills were not up to scratch because I was the designated ‘back-seat driver,’ I can say that my wiggling abilities (toggling the analogue stick quickly left and right to earn that much needed boost) soon became an integral part of my Double Dash team.

Next in line was Mario Kart DS. Even before I bought my first DS, Mario Kart DS was there to help get me through many tedious car trips, afternoons spent lazing in the sun on holiday and general fun and merriment. The DS was often a cause of contention since those friends who were without this handy gaming device were often seen sneaking away with another’s gaming possessions. Tempers have also been known to flare when certain friends (you know who you are…ahem…Advance Wars) even went so far as to mix up game cartridges belonging to different friends. This habit becomes quite a problem when you settle back to continue where you left off in New Super Mario Bros. only to discover that you have since adopted someone else’s game cartridge who has been shirking his responsibilities in saving Princess Peach!

Whenever a braai is had with my gaming friends Mario Kart DS is as standard as braai meat and potato salad. Our annual trips to rAge in Johannesburg have also led to somewhat of a Mario Kart tradition with Rebound, El33tonline and other DS gamers from various forums hooking up at the event to test our province’s mettles against one another. We have also spent many happy times whizzing through the tracks until the early hours of the morning, only to be asked the next day at breakfast, “Are you the guys who were making all the noise last night?” And this coming from a Counterstrike clan made me blush slightly!

And so I am sure you can understand the anticipation with which I wait to board the aeroplane this morning heading to the launch of Mario Kart Wii. Mario Kart Wii has been available in a couple of retail shops for almost a week now, which is why I have firmly kept my legs from wandering into any shop which could mistakenly lead me to buy it in a fit of weakness. It just wouldn’t be right practising before the launch I am sure you will agree.

I have heard from reliable sources that the game really is fantastically fun. Even better are the reports that online play is great with hardly any lag. 12 player online – way to go Nintendo! So what will you be doing tonight? I know where I will be so maybe see you online.